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Yusuf's Brothers consult Each Other in Confidence; the Advice Their Eldest Brother gave Them

Allah narrates to us that Yusuf's brothers were desperate because they could not secure the release of their brother Binyamin, even though they had given a promise and sworn to their father to bring him back. They were unable to fulfill their promise to their father, so,

﴿ خَلَصُواْ ﴾

(in private), away from people's eyes,

﴿ نَجِيًّ۬ا‌ۖ ﴾

(they consulted), among themselves,

﴿ قَالَ ڪَبِيرُهُمۡ ﴾

(The eldest among them said), and his name, as we mentioned, was Rubil, or Yahudha. He was the one among them who recommended throwing Yusuf into a well, rather than killing him. So Rubil said to them,

(Know you not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah's Name,) that you will return Binyamin to him However, you were not able to fulfill this promise and, before you caused Yusuf to be lost from his father,

﴿ فَلَنۡ أَبۡرَحَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ ﴾

(Therefore I will not leave this land), I will not leave Egypt,

﴿ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡذَنَ لِىٓ أَبِىٓ ﴾

(until my father permits me,) allows me to go back to him while he is pleased with me,

﴿ أَوۡ يَحۡكُمَ ٱللَّهُ لِى‌ۖ ﴾

(or Allah decides my case) by using the sword, or, they says; by allowing me to secure the release of my brother,

﴿ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡحَـٰكِمِينَ ﴾

(and He is the Best of the judges.), He next ordered them to narrate to their father what happened so that they could present their excuse about that happened to Binyamin and as claim their innocence before him. Rubil said to them (to say to their father),

﴿ وَمَا ڪُنَّا لِلۡغَيۡبِ حَـٰفِظِينَ ﴾

(and we could not know the Unseen!) or, `we did not know that your son had committed theft,' according to Qatadah and `Ikrimah. `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that it means, `we did not know that Binyamin stole something that belonged to the king, we only stated the punishment of the thief,'

﴿ وَسۡـَٔلِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ ٱلَّتِى ڪُنَّا فِيہَا ﴾

(And ask (the people of) the town where we have been,), in reference to Egypt, according to Qatadah, or another town.

﴿ وَٱلۡعِيرَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَقۡبَلۡنَا فِيہَا‌ۖ ﴾

(and the caravan in which we returned), `about our truthfulness, honesty, protection and sincere guardianship,

﴿ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ ﴾

(and indeed we are telling the truth.) in what we have told you, that Binyamin stole and was taken as a captive as compensation for his theft.'

(83. He [Ya`qub] said: "Nay, but your own selves have beguiled you into something. So patience is most fitting (for me). May be Allah will bring them (back) all to me. Truly, He! Only He is All-Knowing, All-Wise.'') (84. And he turned away from them and said: "Alas, my grief for Yusuf!'' And he lost his sight because of the sorrow that he was suppressing.) (85. They said: "By Allah! You will never cease remembering Yusuf until you become weak with old age, or until you be of the dead.'') (86. He said: "I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you know not.'')